Improvement in trace-buckles



C. B. JOHNSON.

Trace-Buckles.

N 153 964 Ptented Aug.11l,l874.-

1 7N5 GRAPHIC CU PHOTO LITH. 39 I. 4-] PARK FLA-CE, MY.

UNITED Smrns PATENT OFFICE CHARLES B. JOHNSON, OF NEW CASTLE, OHIO.

IMPROVEM ENT IN TRACE-BUCKLES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 153,964, dated August11, 1874; application filed February 12, 1873.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES B. JOHNSON, of New Castle, in the county ofCoshocton and State'of Ohio, have invented a certain Improvement inTrace-Buckles, of which the following is a specification:

This invention relates to that class of buckles in which a slidingtongue'plate is combined with an elevated loop-bar, connecting the sidebars of the frame at one end. My improve ment consists in interlockingthe tongue-plate with the standards of the elevated loop-bar by makingit wider than the space between the standards, and forming elongatednotches in its sides to receive the latter. Thus, while the tongue-platemay be readly connected and disconnected, still it is not liable to dropout of the frame on the withdrawal of the strap, and the elongatedcharacter of the notches gives it snfficientend play for the readychanging of thetongue from one hole in the strap to another. Thetongue-plate is also provided with a rearwardly-projecting thumb piece,which serves the twofold purpose of facilitating the withdrawal of thetongue to change it, and of preventing its accidental disengagement.

In the annexed drawings, Figure l is a side elevation of my improvedbuckle, showing also a portion of both the hame-strap and the trace.Fig. 2 is a plan of .the buckle on an enlarged scale. Fig. 3 is a bottomview of the tongue-plate on the same scale. Fig. 4 is a side elevationof the buckle on such enlarged scale.

At one end the side bars of the buckle-frame are connected by thecross-bar 11, to which the hame-strap is to be secured. At their otherends they are united by the loop-bar 4, which is elevated by standards 6to such a height above the side bars as to suitably receive'the tongueframe or plate and the trace under it. The tongue-plate 7, havingenlongated notches 1 out in its sides, is obliquely introduced betweenthe standards 6, and, be-

ing then turned into a horizontal position, the standards will enter itsnotches, so that it cannot be drawn out while in a horizontal position,but has a limited longitudinal play. Its inner end is tapering, andcarries near the point the tongue 8. Its outer end is provided with athumb-piece, 5. The tongue points downward or inward, and enters thetrace from the upper or outer side, the trace passing underneath it, asshown in Fig. 1.

To withdraw the tongue from the trace, bear down on the thumb-piece 5,and at the same time turn up the rear open end of the buckle-frame,(which is possible, as there is no cross-bar under the trace,) and thetrace can then be readily changed by sliding it.

It will be observed that, as the rear end of the frame has no cross-baror plate under the trace, the detachment of the latter from the tongue,effected as above stated, can be done without requiring the withdrawalof the end of the trace out of the loop of the hame strap, or itsbending in any way, which is an important advantage, because the tracesare always made heavy and stiff, and are difiicnlt to unloop or bend.

The buckle-frame is also provided with the ordinary side loop 10 for theattachment of the back-band and the belly-band.

This feature I do not, however, claim as new per 86. Nor do I claim,broadly, the interlocking feature of the ton gue-plate with the frame.My claim for patentablenovelty is based upon the construction of thebuckle as a whole.

What I claim as my invention, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is

The herein-described trace-buckle, composed of the frame having anelevated loop, 6 4, and the flat interlocking tongue-plate 7 8, havingelongated notches 1 1 and an extension, 5, all substantially asspecified.

CHARLES B. JOHNSON.

Witnesses:

WILLIAM OOGGINS, A. J. GARRISON.

